Christ the Redeemer
Keeping a watchful eye over the people of Rio de Janeiro, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer or Cristo Redentor (in Portuguese) sits atop Corcovado 2,300 feet (700 meters) above the city. Is a larger than life statue of Jesus Christ with his arms outstretched, a symbol of peace that stands almost 131.23 ft (40 meters) high.
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| Rio de Janeiro in the night. |
The statue of Jesus with his open arms seems to welcome the visitors. The space between his arms from fingertip to fingertip is 91.86 ft (28 m). On a clear day the views from the base of the statue are fantastic. At the night the statue is lit up and seemingly hovers over the city as the mountain it stands on is dark. If it is cloudy the clouds light up and the effect can be quite spectacular and ethereal.
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| Flying over Cristo Redentor |
History
In 1920 The Catholic Circle of Rio organized an event called Semana do Monumento ("Monument Week") to attract donations came mostly from Brazillian Catholics. The designs considered for the "Statue of the Christ" included a representation of the Christian cross, a statue of Jesus with a globe in his hands, and a pedestal symbolizing the world. The statue of Christ the Redeemer with open arms, a symbol of peace, was chosen.
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| Christ the Redeemer construction. |
The foundation stone of the base was ceremonially laid on April 4, 1922 to commemorate the centennial on that day of Brazil´s independence from Portugal although the monument´s final design had not yet been chosen. That same year a competition was held to find a designer, and the Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa was chosen on the basis of his sketches of a figure of Christ holding a cross in his right hand and the world in his left. In collaboration with Brazilian artist Carlos Oswald Silva Costa later amended the plan; Oswald has been credited with the idea for the figure´s standing pose with arms spread wide.
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| Christ the Redeemer hand |
The French sculptor Paul Landowski, who collaborated with Silva Costa on the final desing, has been credited as the primary designer of the figure´s head and hands. Funds were raised privately, principally by the church. Under Silva Costa´s supervision, construction began in 1926 and continued for five years. During that time materials and workers were transported to the summit via railway.
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| Christ the Redeemer face |
The face of the statue was created by Romanian sculptor Gheorge Leonida, who was born in Galati, Romania in 1893. He studied sculpture at the Fine Arts Conservatory in Bucharest. After its completion, the statue was dedicated on October 12, 1931. Over the years it has undergone periodic repairs and renovations, including a thorough cleaning in 1980, in preparation for the visit of Pope John Paul II to Brazil that year, and a major project in 2010, when the surface was repaired and refurbished. Escalators and panoramic elevators were added beginning in 2002; previously, in order to reach the statue itself, tourists climbed mor than 200 steps as the last stage of the trip. In 2006, to mark the statue´s 75th anniversary, a chapel at its base was consecrated to Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil.
Activities near the Christ the Redeemer Statue
Besides hiking, you may enjoy hang gliding over the wonderful city of Rio. You can fly like a bird over the scenic beaches encircled by Atlantic Rainforest. The Tijuca National Forest is the place where you can book for hang gliding as most of the tours begin from the Pedra Bonita hang gliding ramp at Sao Conrado.
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| Hiking and Trekking Trail to Christ the Redeemer Statue Trough Corcovado Mountain and Atlantic Rain Forest |
Five ways to visit Christ the Redeemer: rdj4u Travel Blog
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